Data on recurrent somatic embryogenesis and in vitro micropropagation of Cnidium officinale Makino

Cnidium officinale Makino, a perennial herb of the family Umbelliferae, is a well-known medicinal plant in oriental medicine with antidiabetic, tumor metastatic, antiplatelet, antimicrobial and insecticidal properties. Hence, C. officinale does not produce seed the plant tissue culture is the viable alternative for its propagation. Node explant from in vitro grown C. officinale Makino was cultured on MS medium supplemented with plant growth regulators (PGRs) like 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or/and 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA). It was aimed to investigate the optimal concentration and combination of 2,4-D and BA for somatic embryogenesis in node explant of C. officinale Makino. The embryogenic callus was induced on node explant after four weeks in MS medium containing 1.5 mg L−1 2,4-D and 0.5 mg L−1 BA. The translucent white, embryogenic callus was subcultured on the respective medium and individual well-structured somatic embryos were observed. Heart and cotyledon stage embryos were pictured under a stereomicroscope. The individual somatic embryos (SE) were transferred to MS medium without PGRs (MS0) and 100% germination was observed. Repeated subculturing of the embryogenic callus for five months resulted in recurrent somatic embryogenesis but with a gradual decline in number.